A whole new level of stupidity

[Velotrax]

Well on tonight's bike ride I came across a whole new level of stupidity.
A motorist had wound down his passenger window and was lent across the passenger seat to shout to me that it is not safe to ride on these roads, while we were both doing around 25 mph...

Can anyone explain to me how he was in full control of his car? ...Yes it's unsafe cycling on roads with idiots like him in 'control' of a 1 ton lump of metal ...............discuss !

[Smudge3920]

Bicycling IMO should be kept to designated areas, for those that enjoy it...If it is necassary to go on public highways to enjoy your pastime then some form of insurance should be made mandatory... it is not always the vehicle driver that is at fault.

[danhirons]

in munich where I live we're blessed with lots and lots of cycle paths - but some of them aren't very well when maintained. when on my road bike sometimes I'll go on the road instead but occasionally get a bit of jip from a car...

You won't be popular with this post as a most car drivers/non cyclists won't be on your side here!

[rab_rant]

A Bukowski poem about cars

https://youtu.be/wAPrqG4-PmM

Sent from my Redmi Note 8 Pro using Tapatalk

[Chilli D]

As a keen cyclist I can only sympathise with Velotrax as the same thing has happened to me but only very rarely. As long as I haven't done anything to warrant the abuse I will tell the motorist to go forth and multiply or stop the car and we'll 'discuss' it further. So far no-one has accepted my offer. At nearly 15 stone I'm not your typical size for a cyclist.
But as I say, most motorists are pretty tolerant where I live and I tend to stick to the quieter lanes anyway.

[Leeds1000]

in munich where I live we're blessed with lots and lots of cycle paths - but some of them aren't very well when maintained. when on my road bike sometimes I'll go on the road instead but occasionally get a bit of jip from a car...

You won't be popular with this post as a most car drivers/non cyclists won't be on your side here!

Visited Southern Germany for the first time a couple of years back Dan on our way through to Italy the scenery was breathtaking. We stopped and canoed across the Forggensee with the Neuschwanstein castle in the background and then had dinner in a town called Fussen. Stunning area. All the different charges and taxes on the roads are a pain tho.

[Velotrax]

Bicycling IMO should be kept to designated areas, for those that enjoy it...If it is necassary to go on public highways to enjoy your pastime then some form of insurance should be made mandatory... it is not always the vehicle driver that is at fault.

A typical reply from an uneducated driver, cyclist have as much right to be on the road as a motorist, and as regards insurance, who said I do not have any, oh and yes road tax, no I don't pay it...no one does

[Ron Swanson]

I'd pay extra tax to build a track somewhere to get them off the road.

Anything other than ripping up perfectly adequate roads to accommodate tiny cycle paths that are neither use nor ornament, and slow down the flow of traffic, creating a less safe environment for everyone, and more pollution.

Let them use the pavements as well, perhaps.

[Currie14]

Cycle lane Pudsey to Bradford been along there maybe 100 times, never seen a cyclist use it.....£xxx wasted.
Cycle lane on Wakefield Road in Bradford, been down and back up on my way to and from work every day for months now and still never seen a cyclist on it. Infact it's just full of dirt and rubbish now. More £xxx wasted but tellingly the cars now have 1 less lane so before I used to just mosey along with little or no congestion but now there's traffic jams all along it with a stop start journey which forces cars to go off piste onto the smaller roads which is where you are more likely to come into contact with a cyclist, thus making it more dangerous for both parties.
Well thought out plan as normal but hey, so long as there's backhanders to be made and politicians can be seen to do the right/green thing then it'saul goodman............

[Smudge3920]

A typical reply from an uneducated driver, cyclist have as much right to be on the road as a motorist, and as regards insurance, who said I do not have any, oh and yes road tax, no I don't pay it...no one does

Velo... I have an opinion, I am not going to be dragged into one of your schoolyard "tiffs"...For once instead of being insulting, explain why my response is unedecuted and discuss it like a rational person does.

If you have road Insurance than you will be the first cyclist I know that does....But if that is somehow a law now then it is a step in the right direction. Thanks to vehicle cams now, I have beaten two accusation's by cyclists who accused me of road rage and hitting them... It has been my experience in the most part that the cyclists are the ones with the short fuse as they believe they have a devine right over powered vehicles on public highways

[Smudge3920]

Cycle lane Pudsey to Bradford been along there maybe 100 times, never seen a cyclist use it.....£xxx wasted.
Cycle lane on Wakefield Road in Bradford, been down and back up on my way to and from work every day for months now and still never seen a cyclist on it. Infact it's just full of dirt and rubbish now. More £xxx wasted but tellingly the cars now have 1 less lane so before I used to just mosey along with little or no congestion but now there's traffic jams all along it with a stop start journey which forces cars to go off piste onto the smaller roads which is where you are more likely to come into contact with a cyclist, thus making it more dangerous for both parties.
Well thought out plan as normal but hey, so long as there's backhanders to be made and politicians can be seen to do the right/green thing then it'saul goodman............

And a minority gets its own way to boot ...

[Mountain]

I live in remote rural SW Ireland, where roads are narrow, and wind their way around lots of mountains, with no straight lines. Popular with cyclists, tourists taking photos etc. I used to be the impatient type, peering around them, getting angry, but in recent years I've become far more "ach, why hurry, no point in getting wound up, they're as entitled to be here as me". And once you get that epiphany and let it all go, it makes driving a little easier.

[rab_rant]

Before the Roman came to Rye or out to Severn strode,

The rolling English drunkard made the rolling English road.

A reeling road, a rolling road, that rambles round the shire,

And after him the parson ran, the sexton and the squire;

A merry road, a mazy road, and such as we did tread

The night we went to Birmingham by way of Beachy Head.


I knew no harm of Bonaparte and plenty of the Squire,

And for to fight the Frenchman I did not much desire;

But I did bash their baggonets because they came arrayed

To straighten out the crooked road an English drunkard made,

Where you and I went down the lane with ale-mugs in our hands,

The night we went to Glastonbury by way of Goodwin Sands.


His sins they were forgiven him; or why do flowers run

Behind him; and the hedges all strengthening in the sun?

The wild thing went from left to right and knew not which was which,

But the wild rose was above him when they found him in the ditch.

God pardon us, nor harden us; we did not see so clear

The night we went to Bannockburn by way of Brighton Pier.


My friends, we will not go again or ape an ancient rage,

Or stretch the folly of our youth to be the shame of age,

But walk with clearer eyes and ears this path that wandereth,

And see undrugged in evening light the decent inn of death;

For there is good news yet to hear and fine things to be seen,

Before we go to Paradise by way of Kensal Green

Sent from my Redmi Note 8 Pro using Tapatalk

[Velotrax]

Thanks to vehicle cams now, I have beaten two accusation's by cyclists who accused me of road rage and hitting them... It has been my experience in the most part that the cyclists are the ones with the short fuse as they believe they have a devine right over powered vehicles on public highways

You must be the unluckiest person alive to be accused of hitting two cyclists, yes cams are great I have two facing front and back after ending up in A & E a few times as motorists don't know how to drive ! the original post was to show how stupid the motorist thinking it was acceptable to lean over and shout to me whilst driving dangerously ! The irony !

But in 40 odd years I've been cycling I can say that I have never seen a cyclist try and run a motorist off the road, something I've witnessed the other way round too often,

Time we banned motorists from our roads LOL

[Smudge3920]

You must be the unluckiest person alive to be accused of hitting two cyclists, yes cams are great I have two facing front and back after ending up in A & E a few times as motorists don't know how to drive ! the original post was to show how stupid the motorist thinking it was acceptable to lean over and shout to me whilst driving dangerously ! The irony !

But in 40 odd years I've been cycling I can say that I have never seen a cyclist try and run a motorist off the road, something I've witnessed the other way round too often,

Time we banned motorists from our roads LOL

I am afraid you win no points with that comment Velo... again you try to twist things to your way of thinking...But as long as you have me to attack , I guess you are leaving others alone who disagree with you ... Oh and I am not the unluckiest person in the world, those two who ACCUSED me of hitting them run close though, as it was proved in court both times they were "chancers" who just were out to try and make a fast buck... When Cyclists pay full insurance , road tax, carry a permit to show that the bicyle is roadworthy, and have a liscence plate to be able to report them when they dissapear fast knowing they are in the wrong and the cyclists pass a road test...Then I will agree they have the same rights as vehicle and motor bike riders... Untill then I will just carry on ensuring I get no where near them...

[whiteswan]

I think there are idiot car drivers and idiot cyclists! The Bain of my life is Cyclists using footpaths which is against the law. I can be walking along the footpaths with houndie and out of nowhere whoosh! I don't say this lightly either as a dog was killed when a cyclist hit him on said footpath. No warnings, no bell ringing, just total disregard for anyone legally using them. The owners put signs up 'no bikes', but the cyclists just rip them down....the owners have even put a fence up to keep them out and it's been dismantled by these idiots.
As for cyclists on the road, the other day I was on a very busy main road, Wakefield to Barnsley. I came upon 7 cyclists all in a cluster. 3 at the back side by side taking up most of the lane, with 2 more in front and 2 in front of them. I had to wait a long time before it was clear and safe for us to pass them....again, couldn't care less bikers!

However, when I am driving round our beautiful narrow country Lanes here in Suffolk, and a cyclist is coming towards me, I stop the car to allow them to pass me safely.

I honestly think it works both ways, like I said, there are idiot drivers and idiot cyclists. All it needs is a little bit more consideration from both for each other

But yes, to answer your original question, it was a stupid thing for someone to do

[Smudge3920]

I think there are idiot car drivers and idiot cyclists! The Bain of my life is Cyclists using footpaths which is against the law. I can be walking along the footpaths with houndie and out of nowhere whoosh! I don't say this lightly either as a dog was killed when a cyclist hit him on said footpath. No warnings, no bell ringing, just total disregard for anyone legally using them. The owners put signs up 'no bikes', but the cyclists just rip them down....the owners have even put a fence up to keep them out and it's been dismantled by these idiots.
As for cyclists on the road, the other day I was on a very busy main road, Wakefield to Barnsley. I came upon 7 cyclists all in a cluster. 3 at the back side by side taking up most of the lane, with 2 more in front and 2 in front of them. I had to wait a long time before it was clear and safe for us to pass them....again, couldn't care less bikers!

However, when I am driving round our beautiful narrow country Lanes here in Suffolk, and a cyclist is coming towards me, I stop the car to allow them to pass me safely.

I honestly think it works both ways, like I said, there are idiot drivers and idiot cyclists. All it needs is a little bit more consideration from both for each other

But yes, to answer your original question, it was a stupid thing for someone to do

Could not agree more Swannie...well put.

[Velotrax]

I think there are idiot car drivers and idiot cyclists! The Bain of my life is Cyclists using footpaths which is against the law. I can be walking along the footpaths with houndie and out of nowhere whoosh! I don't say this lightly either as a dog was killed when a cyclist hit him on said footpath. No warnings, no bell ringing, just total disregard for anyone legally using them. The owners put signs up 'no bikes', but the cyclists just rip them down....the owners have even put a fence up to keep them out and it's been dismantled by these idiots.
As for cyclists on the road, the other day I was on a very busy main road, Wakefield to Barnsley. I came upon 7 cyclists all in a cluster. 3 at the back side by side taking up most of the lane, with 2 more in front and 2 in front of them. I had to wait a long time before it was clear and safe for us to pass them....again, couldn't care less bikers!

However, when I am driving round our beautiful narrow country Lanes here in Suffolk, and a cyclist is coming towards me, I stop the car to allow them to pass me safely.

I honestly think it works both ways, like I said, there are idiot drivers and idiot cyclists. All it needs is a little bit more consideration from both for each other

But yes, to answer your original question, it was a stupid thing for someone to do

Totally agree, there are both good and bad cyclist and motorists, I was just pointing out how stupid it was to lean over to the passenger side while driving, no one can deny that even those that think they still pay road tax in the uk

[Lumiukko]

I honestly think it works both ways, like I said, there are idiot drivers and idiot cyclists. All it needs is a little bit more consideration from both for each other

This comment

I cycle and drive a car and can see it from both sides of things. Anyone familiar with LA knows it's a car city, but I much prefer keeping fit and doing local stuff on my bicycle (running to the shops, local errands, meeting friends). The close shaves from drivers who don't know the size of their vehicle, and amounts of abuse I've received from drivers for just daring to ride my bike is ridiculous; especially as I'm hyperaware not to get in the way, and always respect highway rules like stop signs and traffic lights (not withstanding I have as much right to be on the road as they do). In Santa Monica, you will get a ticket for cycling on pedestrian pavement and there's even stencilled words to that effect at each intersection as you enter the sidewalk.

On the flip side of things, driving up PCH in Malibu (a bit of a dangerous racetrack for cars as it is) to go hiking on an early weekday morning will find dozens and dozens of road cyclists needlessly taking a lane of the highway up when the shoulder is in most places huge and sufficient for riding in. Furthermore, many of these cyclists (and even about town too) will not respect the traffic lights and stop signs, or ride on sidewalks . RIding on sidewalks is a particular bane of mine when out running (as well as some dogwalkers who decide the sidewalk is all theirs leaving no room for others).

Rant over, so as Whiteswan said, we should all be considerate to each other, as well as respect the highway rules to which will result in harmony.

[Chilli D]

I think there are idiot car drivers and idiot cyclists! The Bain of my life is Cyclists using footpaths which is against the law. I can be walking along the footpaths with houndie and out of nowhere whoosh! I don't say this lightly either as a dog was killed when a cyclist hit him on said footpath. No warnings, no bell ringing, just total disregard for anyone legally using them. The owners put signs up 'no bikes', but the cyclists just rip them down....the owners have even put a fence up to keep them out and it's been dismantled by these idiots.
As for cyclists on the road, the other day I was on a very busy main road, Wakefield to Barnsley. I came upon 7 cyclists all in a cluster. 3 at the back side by side taking up most of the lane, with 2 more in front and 2 in front of them. I had to wait a long time before it was clear and safe for us to pass them....again, couldn't care less bikers!

However, when I am driving round our beautiful narrow country Lanes here in Suffolk, and a cyclist is coming towards me, I stop the car to allow them to pass me safely.

I honestly think it works both ways, like I said, there are idiot drivers and idiot cyclists. All it needs is a little bit more consideration from both for each other

But yes, to answer your original question, it was a stupid thing for someone to do

Well said Swannie.
As I said in my post, I find the majority of motorists in Suffolk tolerant and respectful.
In return, if I find I am holding up motorists for than a minute or two I will stop and let them pass.
There's nothing worse than having a car right on your back wheel.